I have posed the question in previous blogs: is an apology enough?

I ask the question again in the light of the Pope’s apology for the sexual abuse committed by catholic priests. On the eve of his visit to Australia the Pope is reported as saying the Catholic Church must “Consider what was insufficient in our behaviour and how we can prevent, heal, reconcile”, and that “Being a priest is inconsistent with sexual abuse. This behaviour contradicts holiness”.

Broken Rites the campaign victims’ organisation is saying that an apology is not enough.

In The Australian (14th July 2008) it is reported that Broken Rites spokeswoman Chris MacIsaac said the comments so far represented nothing more than a “continuation of the Catholic Church’s age-old cover-up”.

“It’s really just sounding like a general expression of regret, whereas we want to see the Pope apologise directly to some of the victims, who should be given a chance to speak to him,” Ms MacIsaac said.

“A lot of victims feel abused twice, first as a result of the sex abuse itself, then because of the cover-up, and we think the Pope should address that as well.

“He must also tell his Australian bishops to stop blocking victims’ access to justice in the civil courts.”

The experience of victims I have represented is echoed here. The Catholic Church has fought claims brought against it on the basis that they are “time barred”, relying on law that was enacted when no one had contemplated victims of childhood abuse coming forward and bringing cases. Unsurprisingly such “defences” stick in the gullet being devoid of any sense of justice or recognition of the abuse. I quite understand why in these circumstances an apology is not enough.

For further details of The Australian report see its website: www.theaustralian.news.com.au

Broken Rites have a website at: http://brokenrites.alphalink.com.au/

Alan Collins

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